Pga of america golf professionals work each day to provide immeasurable benefits to the game of golf and those who play it. As the leaders in the game and business of golf, PGA of America Members help golfers enjoy the game by managing golf facilities, providing playing and coaching opportunities, and making golf accessible to millions of golfers across the country.
In turn, the PGA of America and its 41 Sections work each day to provide benefits to the Association’s Members to improve their professional and personal lives, and the results are measurable. Earlier this year, the research firm Nielsen conducted the annual PGA Member Offering Survey, which garnered nearly 8,000 responses across all 41 PGA Sections and each level of Class A Membership, and the results showed satisfaction across the wide breadth of programming offered by the PGA of America.
“The survey data basically says that PGA of America Members are proud to be part of the Association and are taking advantage of programs that have direct benefits to them, their facilities or both,” says PGA Chief Member Officer John Easterbrook Jr. “The PGA of America brand is very meaningful, and what the Association is doing in the field is working – benefits to Members are increasing, and they’re being used.”
A total of 52 program offerings were part of the 2024 PGA Member Offering Survey, up from 48 the year before, across six areas: Career Services, Championships, Content & Resources, Education, Golf Programs & Events, and Personal & Business Benefits. Overall, 75 percent of PGA of America Members report satisfaction with their Membership, an increase of five percentage points over the previous year.
“The main takeaway to me from the survey is that our Members feel the Association is moving in the right direction,” says PGA of America President John Lindert, the PGA Director of Golf at Country Club of Lansing (Michigan).
“With over 31,000 Members, it can be tough to pinpoint what programs will be of value to PGA of America Golf Professionals in different parts of the country, different areas of the business or different stages of their careers. But we continue to fine-tune and refine our offerings, and Members are finding value in longstanding offerings like PGA Career Services, as well as new programs like PGA Deferred Compensation.”
Indeed, PGA Career Services was ranked as the top PGA Member benefit in the most recent survey, reflecting the significant resources the Association is allocating to help its Members grow their careers and earning power during a period of great growth within the business of golf. Along with PGA Education, these programs are helping PGA of America Golf Professionals grow their knowledge and become more marketable and desirable as they progress through their golf journeys.
“The golf industry is identifying and separating those who have invested in themselves with career planning and lifelong learning,” Lindert says. “This leads to increased compensation in many instances, and increases your value to your facility and to yourself as you go through your career.”
Planning for the future was also a top-ranked benefit in this year’s survey, with the new PGA Deferred Compensation program and long-running Golf Retirement Plus program earning high marks for the value they generate for PGA of America Members.
The PGA Deferred Compensation program was years in the making and finally debuted in 2023. PGA of America Members can earn points by participating in and providing services that advance the purpose of golf professionals by growing the game of golf, like PGA HOPE, PGA Jr. League and others.
“We’ve heard a lot of feedback on PGA Deferred Compensation, and the response I hear most in person is, ‘Thanks!’” Easterbrook says. “It took a long time and a lot of collaboration with the IRS to make sure the program follows strict guidelines, but from the PGA of America Member perspective it’s pretty simple to get involved and start earning points, and we’ll be refining the program over time to make it even better.”
Easterbrook encourages his fellow PGA of America Golf Professionals to continue providing feedback to the Association through the annual PGA Member Offering Survey and through less formal methods, like attending the PGA Annual Meeting or talking with your Section leaders or PGA Career Consultant. Because there are so many different career paths and circumstances for PGA of America Members across the country, it makes an impact for the Association to hear what programs are most valued by those they’ve been created to benefit.
“I would like anyone reading this article to help us do even better by giving us your honest feedback and ideas based on what you need in your professional and personal life,” Easterbrook says. “We don’t know what everyone needs, so it’s important to tell us if there’s something we’re missing, or if there’s something we’re offering that isn’t of value.
“We work best when we work together, and we’re always looking to add programs that add value to the experience of being a PGA of America Golf Professional.”Here’s a look at some of the top member benefits offered by the PGA of America with ideas for how Members can maximize their value to build their careers and improve their personal lives: